Method for producing alignment layer for liquid crystal panel

ABSTRACT

A method for producing an alignment layer for a liquid crystal panel, which is produced by modifying an alignment film in a fixed direction and at a fixed angle by using an atmospheric pressure plasma source to form a uniform and isotropic alignment layer on the surface of the substrate. The resultant alignment layer has good uniformity and high anchoring energy, and the pre-tilt angle can be selected as desired. In addition, there are no problems with static charge generation, dust pollution and the like as in the prior arts. The method of the present invention is not restricted by vacuum apparatuses that need ion alignment or vacuum plasma alignment and the like and is not restricted by the size of the equipment. Therefore, the method of the present invention is suitable for treating the surface of an alignment layer of a large size liquid crystal panel.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an alignment technique for a surface ofa substrate, and more particularly, to a method for producing analignment layer for a liquid crystal panel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In recent years, flat panel displays have become more and moreintegrated into daily life. Displays can be distinguished into two maintypes: cathode-ray tube displays and liquid crystal displays. Amongthem, the liquid crystal display (LCD) has advantages of light weight,small size, full-color display, less radiation, digitization, highdefinition, energy-saving and the like compared with the traditionalcathode-ray tube displays. As a result, the liquid crystal display hasdefinitely become the main trend in display technology.

The composition and the luminous principle of a liquid crystal displayare very different from a cathode-ray tube. Briefly, a liquid crystaldisplay controls the geometry of liquid crystals by using an electricfield to alter the transport pathway and the phase of light, andcooperates with a polarizer to attain the effect of light-and-shade. Byfurther cooperating with a drive circuit and color filters, the liquidcrystal panel can display both gray scale and color images. The processfor fabricating a liquid crystal display panel can be basically dividedinto an array and a color filter process, a liquid crystal cell process,and a module process.

For example, the method for fabricating a thin film transistor-liquidcrystal display (TFT-LCD) commonly seen can be divided into three mainprocesses: the first is a process for creating an array and a colorfilter for driving and creating signals; the second is a liquid crystalcell process for controlling, filling and sealing a liquid crystal; andthe third is a module process for fabricating a polarizer, a back lightmodule and the liquid crystal cell. Among them, a liquid crystalalignment technique in the liquid crystal cell process particularlyplays a key role. In addition to playing a major role in controlling thearrangement and the orientation of liquid crystals, the liquid crystalalignment process further relates to high-quality display propertiessuch as visual angle, response speed, contrast ratio, color expression,and so on.

The term “liquid crystal alignment” means to give liquid crystalmolecules a direction, and the purpose is to make all or part of theliquid crystal molecules have a unified and uniform orientation or afixed directional arrangement. The object of applying liquid crystalalignment in a liquid crystal display is that all or part of the liquidcrystal molecules must have a synchronized and consistent motion when anelectric field acts and drives the motion of the liquid crystalmolecules, so that the action of displaying can be quick and uniform.Accordingly, there is a need of an alignment technique to attain theobjective above. The alignment techniques commonly seen today aredivided into a rubbing alignment technique and a non-rubbing alignmenttechnique.

Rubbing alignment technique is a popular alignment technique used in theindustry now. As shown in FIG. 1, basically, a substrate 1 such as anITO glass substrate is set on a platform and moved unidirectionally tofix a Rayon cloth 15 having short and meticulous filaments onto anoutside surface of a roller 13. The roller 13 is rotated with a speed ofseveral hundreds revolutions per minute (rpm), so that the Rayon cloth15 on the outside surface thereof is pressed into the material of analignment layer 11 (for example, polyimide (PI)), which is preformed onthe substrate. The surface of the alignment layer is rubbed with theshort filaments at high speed to perform the rubbing process. Afterrubbing, the molecular arrangement on the surface of the material of thealignment layer 11 is under control and the molecules are arrangedregularly along the direction of rubbing. Accordingly, the liquidcrystals to be filled and sealed subsequently can also be arranged inalignment direction due to the force of interface.

The advantages of the rubbing alignment technique include a very shortoperation time for rubbing in a fixed direction, capability of beingoperated at normal temperature and excellent mass-production property.Thus, the rubbing alignment technique has continued to be used in theprocess for thin film transistor-liquid crystal displays in thefourth-generation LCD factories today. However, as progress is madetowards the technical aims of high luminosity, large size, wide visualangle, and so on, the rubbing alignment technique has many problems thatare difficult to solve. For example, the problems of dust pollution,residual static charge, rubbing defects and the like that are caused byrubbing a thin film in the rubbing process can easily result in reducedprocess yield and poor reliability. Therefore, under the demand forhigher process yield for large-size liquid crystal panels in the fifth-and sixth-generation factories in the future, the utilization of anon-rubbing alignment technique is very desirable and, as such, an areaof research and development. Presently, three types of non-rubbingtechniques have been developed: a photo alignment technique, an ion beamalignment technique, and a plasma beam alignment technique.

The materials used in the photo alignment technique are mainly based ona high molecular thin film such as polyimide (PI). The high molecularthin film is irradiated by an ultraviolet light source havinganisotropic energy, so that anisotropic photopolymerization,photoconvertion or photocracking occur in the high molecular structureon the surface of the thin film. As a result, an anisotropic van deWaal's force is generated on the surface of the thin film to induce thearrangement of the liquid crystal molecules. A linear polarizedultraviolet light source is mainly used in the ultraviolet photoalignment method. In this method, the ultraviolet light source ispolarized by using a polarizer. Because the anisotropic energy of theultraviolet light source is high and capable of inducing the anisotropicphotoreaction to occur effectively, the ultraviolet light source iswidely used in the study of photo alignment materials. The photoalignment technique is nearly ten years old and has the feature of gooduniformity. However, there are technological bottlenecks such asanchoring energy, image sticking and the like that remain to be solved.Moreover, the problems of light bulb life and light flicker when usingan exposure machine severely impact the stability.

The procedure for the ion beam alignment process is to bombard aninorganic or organic alignment thin film material with an ion beam at adetermined angle. An anisotropic structure is created on the surface ofthe thin film material by selective bond cleavage, and there is analignment effect to the liquid crystals. The design frameworks for ionbeam alignment apparatuses are similar and generally include a vacuumchamber, an ion source, an electrical neutralizer for neutralizing ionsand a movable and rotatable platform for setting a glass substrate. Asdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,665,033B2, IBM Corporation has provided anion beam alignment apparatus that uses a Kaufman-type ion gun as an ionsource. The method for creating the ions is that plasma is firstgenerated within the ion gun, and then part of the cations in the plasmapass through a pinhole on a plate; the cations are attracted by thenegative potential of an acceleration electrode and shoot from the iongun with high speed, thus generating an ion beam to be used for thealignment process. To avoid excessive charge accumulating in thealignment film, the ion beam should be subject to charge neutralizationwith electrons excited by a hot filament, so that the alignment treatingprocess can be carried out on only the alignment film.

Because there is a need for using high vacuum equipment and staticcharge elimination equipment in the process of ion beam alignment, thecost is very expensive. Furthermore, the creation of the vacuum needs alot of time and is restricted by the size of the equipment. Forlarger-sized panels, it needs specially-made equipment that is extremelyexpensive. In addition, the problem of the relatively short life of theion gun used in the process has not been overcome. Therefore, the ionbeam alignment technique presently remains in the stage of laboratorydevelopment.

Plasma beam alignment is also called particle beam alignment. Thisplasma beam comprises ions, electrons, neutral gases, an ultraviolet rayand ultraviolet light. The most original concept of the plasma beamalignment comes from the short-range close drift technology in Sovietspace research. Satellite technology was developed actively by theSoviet Union during the Cold War between the United States and theSoviet Union. Under the stringent demand of dynamic control of asatellite, the anode layer thruster (ALT) was developed, and the conceptthereof has been extended to display technologies.

In the plasma beam alignment technique, a plasma source is generated bya direct current plasma system. Ion groups in the plasma are driven by ahigh electric field with positive bias created by a positive electrode,and an anode layer is generated to begin the alignment mechanism.Furthermore, the alignment film is subjected to surface modificationtreatment with the plasma. In addition to completely avoiding staticcharge generation and dust pollution, the plasma beam alignmenttechnique has several other advantages: the alignment film treated bythe plasma beam has the properties of photostability, alignmentstability and the like; the plasma beam alignment technique can adjustthe distribution range of the pre-tilt angle; and the expression ofazimuthal anchoring energy can attain the same level as that of thephoto alignment technique.

However, all of the plasma beam alignment techniques that have beendisclosed in publications or patents use vacuum plasma equipment andthus the cost is very expensive. Furthermore, the creation of vacuumneeds a lot of time and is restricted by the size of the equipment. Forlarger-sized panels, specially-made equipment is needed that isextremely expensive and occupies space for the equipment and the like.Thus, the plasma beam alignment technique also remains in the stage oflaboratory development and hasn't attained industrial applicability.

Therefore, overcoming the existing problems disclosed in the prior artsis quite desirable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In consideration of the drawbacks in the prior arts mentioned above, anobjective of the present invention is to provide a method for producingan alignment layer for a liquid crystal panel to prevent static chargegeneration and dust pollution.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a method forproducing an alignment layer for a liquid crystal panel to be useful fortreating the surface of an alignment layer of a large-sized liquidcrystal panel.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a method forproducing an alignment layer for a liquid crystal panel that can reducethe cost of manufacture.

To achieve the above and the other objectives, the present inventionprovides a method for producing an alignment layer for a liquid crystalpanel that comprises providing a substrate; coating or vapor depositingan organic or inorganic thin film as an alignment film; and modifyingand aligning said alignment film in a fixed direction and a fixed angleby using an atmospheric pressure plasma source to form an alignmentlayer having uniform and regular molecular bonds on the surface of saidsubstrate.

The material of said alignment layer may be selected from one of highmolecular polymers, nitrides, oxides and diamond-like carbon films. Inone preferred embodiment, the high molecular polymer is selected fromone of polyimide, polymethyl methacrylate and polyvinyl cinnamate(PVCN); the nitride may be silicon nitride; and the oxide may beselected from one of silicon dioxide (SiO₂), aluminium oxide (Al₂O₃),cerium oxide (CeO₂), stannous oxide (SnO₂), zinc titanium oxide (ZnTiO₂)and indium titanium oxide (InTiO₂).

In the step of modifying the alignment film in a fixed direction and afixed angle by using an atmospheric pressure plasma source, thesubstrate is set on a platform and moved unidirectionally orreciprocally to allow the atmospheric pressure plasma source to modifythe alignment film in a fixed direction and at a fixed angle. In onepreferred embodiment, the fixed angle may be in the range of 0° to lessthan 90° from the direction of the normal line of the atmosphericpressure plasma source opposite to the alignment film.

Said atmospheric pressure plasma source may be a high-energy ion sourcegenerated from atmospheric pressure plasma generation apparatus at anenvironmental pressure selected from one of normal pressure and roughvacuum. In one preferred embodiment, the rough vacuum pressure may be inthe range of 100 Torr to 760 Torr; the atmospheric pressure plasmageneration apparatus may be selected from one of corona dischargeapparatus, atmospheric pressure glow discharge plasma, atmosphericpressure plasma jet and plasma torch; the ion source may be selectedfrom one of electrons, ions, radicals, and neutral particles, or may beselected from at least two of electrons, ions, radicals, and neutralparticles; the process gas used to generate the atmospheric pressureplasma source by the atmospheric pressure plasma generation apparatusmay be a gas being dissociated at an environmental pressure selectedfrom one of normal pressure and rough vacuum, preferably, and which isselected from the group consisting of air, dried air, oxygen, nitrogen,argon, aqueous vapor and helium.

Said substrate may be a glass substrate, and may further include aconducting layer such as indium tin oxide (ITO) preformed on the surfaceof said substrate. In one preferred embodiment, ITO glass substrate isused directly.

A method for producing an alignment layer for a liquid crystal panelprovided by the present invention is mainly to modify an alignment filmin a fixed direction and at a fixed angle by using an atmosphericpressure plasma source to form a uniform and isotropic alignment layeron the surface of the substrate. Therefore, the resultant alignmentlayer has good uniformity and high anchoring energy, and the pre-tiltangle can be selected as desired. In addition, because the modificationof the alignment film on the surface of the substrate is performed by anatmospheric pressure plasma source, there are no problems of staticcharge generation, dust pollution and the like as in the prior arts. Themethod of the present invention does not require vacuum equipment.Compared with general vacuum plasma alignment techniques, the method ofthe present invention simplifies the alignment process and not onlysaves the time and space that would be required for the creation of avacuum, but also is not restricted by the size of the vacuum equipment.Therefore, the method of the present invention is suitable for treatingthe surface of an alignment layer of large-sized liquid crystal panels,and can significantly reduce manufacture costs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the conventional rubbingalignment process; and

FIGS. 2A to 2C are cross-sectional views showing the flow of the methodfor producing an alignment layer for a liquid crystal panel of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The modes for carrying out the present invention are illustrated in thefollowing by specific embodiments. A person skilled in the art canreadily understand other advantages and effects of the present inventionfrom the contents disclosed in this description. The present inventioncan also be carried out or applied by other differing embodiments.Details of this specification can be modified and altered based ondifferent viewpoints and applications without departing from the scopeof the present invention.

FIGS. 2A to 2C are views according to a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention. It should be noted that the appended views aresimplified diagrams, and they are intended to explain the basic methodof the present invention in a concise manner. Thus, only the steps thatare related to the present invention are depicted in these diagrams, andthe steps shown in the diagrams are not delineated to the extent neededfor practical application. In fact, the process or the manner toimplement the method in practice is a selective design matter, and thesteps of the process would be more complicated in actual practice.

FIGS. 2A to 2C are flow diagrams showing the method for producing analignment layer for a liquid crystal panel of the present invention. Theprocess is illustrated with an atmospheric pressure plasma jet, which isa plasma generation apparatus manufactured by Plasma Treat, Germany (asdescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,800,336). In addition to using theatmospheric pressure plasma jet, the present invention can cooperativelyuse a reciprocating platform, a material storage and discharge apparatusconnecting to the atmospheric pressure plasma jet, and a controlapparatus for controlling the operation of the alignment process andmaterial discharge.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the method for producing an alignment layer for aliquid crystal panel provided by the present invention is firstly toprepare a substrate 2 with conducting layer 21 formed on the surface ofsaid substrate 2. In the present embodiment, the substrate 2 is a glasssubstrate for a liquid crystal panel and the material of the conductinglayer 21 is indium tin oxide (ITO). In other words, the substrate 2 onwhich the conducting layer 21 is formed is, for example, an ITO glasssubstrate. However, a person who has common knowledge about thetechnical field can understand that the substrate 2 having theconducting layer 21 is not restricted to the ITO glass substrate used inthe present embodiment. Substrates having conducting layers made ofdifferent materials can also be employed in other embodiments.

Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 2B, the surface of the conducting layer21 on said substrate 2 is coated with alignment film 23. In the presentembodiment, the conducting layer 21 on the substrate 2 is coated withpolyimide (PI) or the precursor thereof through dry process or wetprocess such as screen-printing. After drying and polymerization, apolyimide thin film is formed and then becomes the alignment layer 23coated on said conducting layer 21. However, a person who has commonknowledge about the technical field can understand that said alignmentfilm is not restricted to the polyimide thin film used in the presentembodiment, and the coating manner is not restricted to a wet processsuch as screen-printing. In other embodiments, another high molecularpolymer, nitride, oxide or diamond-like carbon (DLC) film may also beused. The said high molecular polymer may be selected from polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) or PVCN; the nitride may be silicon nitride(SiN_(x)); the oxide may be silicon dioxide (SiO₂), aluminium oxide(Al₂O₃), cerium oxide (CeO₂), stannous oxide (SnO₂), zinc titanium oxide(ZnTiO₂) or indium titanium oxide (InTiO₂).

Finally, as shown in FIG. 2C, the alignment film 23 is modified in afixed direction and at a fixed angle by an atmospheric pressure plasmasource 31, such that an alignment layer having uniform and regularmolecular bonds is formed on the surface of said substrate 2. In thepresent embodiment, the substrate 2 is set on a platform (not shown) andmoves unidirectionally or reciprocally to allow the atmospheric pressureplasma source 31 to modify the alignment film 23 in a fixed directionand at a fixed angle. The fixed angle is defined as an included angelbetween a normal line of the alignment film 23 and a virtual linepassing the atmospheric pressure plasma source 31 and a virtual pointonto which plasma generated by the atmospheric pressure plasma source 31is projected, and is in the range of 0° to less than 90°.

In addition, the atmospheric pressure plasma source 31 is a high-energyion source generated from atmospheric pressure plasma generationapparatus 3 at normal pressure environment. However, in otherembodiments, a high-energy ion source can also be generated in a roughvacuum pressure environment, and the rough vacuum pressure is in therange of 100 Torr to 760 Torr. The atmospheric pressure plasmageneration apparatus 3 shown in the present embodiment is an atmosphericpressure plasma jet. However, in other embodiments, generation apparatusselected from one of corona discharge apparatus, atmospheric pressureglow discharge plasma, and plasma torch can also be used.

The said ion source may be selected from one of electrons, ions,radicals or neutral particles; alternatively, it may also be selectedfrom two of electrons, ions, radicals or neutral particles incombination. In addition, the process gas used to generate theatmospheric pressure plasma source 31 by the atmospheric pressure plasmageneration apparatus 3 is a gas being dissociated at an environmentalpressure selected from one of normal pressure and rough vacuum, such asone of air, dried air, oxygen, nitrogen, argon, aqueous vapor or helium.Moreover, in order to avoid decay after alignment that results ininstability of the alignment, a gas containing hydrogen can be added forpassivation treatment while the alignment is performed. Decay isprevented because hydrogen atoms can bond with dangling bonds generatedafter plasma beam treatment, and the stability of the alignment isimproved, the hydrophobicity on the surface of the alignment film 23 isincreased, and a larger pre-tilt angle is obtained.

As described in the above embodiments, the method for producing analignment layer for a liquid crystal panel of the present inventionmainly employs an atmospheric pressure plasma as an ion source, byutilizing the property of high energy ions and cooperating with areciprocating platform and a plasma jet source to modify a surfacecoated with the alignment film 23 in a fixed direction and at a fixedangle. As a result, a uniform alignment layer having isotropic characteris formed on the substrate 2. In addition to stabilizing the liquidcrystal molecules filled and sealed and making them arrangeisotropically, the method of the present invention can achieve theobjective of alignment by regulating the process parameters forphotoelectric properties such as the pre-tilt angle of the liquidcrystal molecules and the like.

In addition, when the alignment process is performed by usingatmospheric pressure plasma as an ion source, cell patterning can beperformed. In consideration of the key demand for enlarging the size ofthe substrate, the design concept of the linear alignment of the anodelayer thruster can effectively amplify the uniformity of the process.Furthermore, the present invention is the first to employ atmosphericpressure plasma technology to modify the surface of the alignment film,wherein liquid crystal molecules are aligned by oriented moleculararrangement. The atmospheric pressure plasma generation apparatus usedin the present invention has small size requirements, such that thetreatment area is not restricted by the size of the apparatus. In themanufacture of large-sized liquid crystal panels in the future, themethod of the present invention does not have to be altered on a largescale to derive another generation. Therefore, the method of the presentinvention will make an unprecedented impact on the liquid crystaldisplay industry.

As compared with conventional techniques, the method for producing analignment layer for a liquid crystal panel provided by the presentinvention modifies the surface of an alignment layer in a fixeddirection and at a fixed angle by using an atmospheric pressure plasmasource to form a uniform and isotropic alignment layer on the surface ofthe substrate. Therefore, the resultant alignment layer has gooduniformity and high anchoring energy, and the pre-tilt angle can beselected as desired. In addition, because the modification of thealignment film on the surface of the substrate is performed with anatmospheric pressure plasma source, there are no problems of staticcharge generation, dust pollution and the like as in the prior arts. Themethod of the present invention does not require vacuum equipment. Ascompared with general vacuum plasma alignment techniques, the method ofthe present invention simplifies the alignment step and not only savesthe time and space that would be required for the creation of a vacuum,but also is not restricted by the size of the vacuum equipment.Therefore, the method of the present invention is suitable for treatingthe surface of an alignment layer of large-sized liquid crystal panels,and can significantly reduce manufacturing costs. Thus, the presentinvention has solved the existing problems in the prior arts. Theabove-mentioned embodiments are only to illustrate the principles andeffects of the present invention and are not intended to limit thepresent invention. Anyone skilled in the art can modify and alter theabove embodiments without departing from the scope of the presentinvention. Therefore, the protective range of the present inventionshould be as the claims recited in the following.

1. A method for producing an alignment layer for a liquid crystal panel,the method comprising: providing a substrate; forming an alignment filmon a surface of said substrate; and modifying said alignment film in afixed direction and at a fixed angle by using an atmospheric pressureplasma source to form an alignment layer having uniform and regularmolecular bonds on the surface of said substrate.
 2. The method forproducing an alignment layer for a liquid crystal panel according toclaim 1, wherein the material of the alignment film is selected from oneof high molecular polymers, nitrides, oxides and diamond-like carbonfilms.
 3. The method for producing an alignment layer for a liquidcrystal panel according to claim 2, wherein the high molecular polymeris selected from one of polyimide, polymethyl methacrylate and polyvinylcinnamate (PVCN).
 4. The method for producing an alignment layer for aliquid crystal panel according to claim 2, wherein the nitride issilicon nitride.
 5. The method for producing an alignment layer for aliquid crystal panel according to claim 2, wherein the oxide is selectedfrom one of silicon dioxide (SiO₂), aluminium oxide (Al₂O₃), ceriumoxide (CeO₂), stannous oxide (SnO₂), zinc titanium oxide (ZnTiO₂) andindium titanium oxide (InTiO₂).
 6. The method for producing an alignmentlayer for a liquid crystal panel according to claim 1, wherein thesubstrate is set on a platform and moved unidirectionally to allow theatmospheric pressure plasma source to modify the alignment film in afixed direction and at a fixed angle.
 7. The method for producing analignment layer for a liquid crystal panel according to claim 1, whereinthe substrate is set on a platform and moved reciprocally to allow theatmospheric pressure plasma source to modify the alignment film in afixed direction and at a fixed angle.
 8. The method for producing analignment layer for a liquid crystal panel according to claim 1, whereinthe fixed angle is defined as an included angel between a normal line ofthe alignment film and a virtual line passing the atmospheric pressureplasma source and a virtual point onto which plasma generated by theatmospheric pressure plasma source is projected, and is in the range of0° to less than 90°.
 9. The method for producing an alignment layer fora liquid crystal panel according to claim 1, wherein the atmosphericpressure plasma source is a high-energy ion source generated fromatmospheric pressure plasma generation apparatus at an environmentalpressure selected from one of normal pressure and rough vacuum.
 10. Themethod for producing an alignment layer for a liquid crystal panelaccording to claim 9, wherein the rough vacuum has a pressure in therange of 100 Torr to 760 Torr.
 11. The method for producing an alignmentlayer for a liquid crystal panel according to claim 9, wherein theatmospheric pressure plasma generation apparatus is selected from one ofcorona discharge apparatus, atmospheric pressure glow discharge plasma,atmospheric pressure plasma jet and plasma torch.
 12. The method forproducing an alignment layer for a liquid crystal panel according toclaim 9, wherein the ion source is selected from one of electrons, ions,radicals and neutral particles.
 13. The method for producing analignment layer for a liquid crystal panel according to claim 9, whereinthe ion source is selected from at least two of electrons, ions,radicals and neutral particles in combination.
 14. The method forproducing an alignment layer for a liquid crystal panel according toclaim 9, wherein the process gas used to generate the atmosphericpressure plasma source by the atmospheric pressure plasma generationapparatus is selected from the group consisting of air, dried air,oxygen, nitrogen, argon, aqueous vapor and helium.
 15. The method forproducing an alignment layer for a liquid crystal panel according toclaim 9, wherein the process gas used to generate the atmosphericpressure plasma source by the atmospheric pressure plasma generationapparatus is a gas being dissociated at an environmental pressureselected from one of normal pressure and rough vacuum.
 16. The methodfor producing an alignment layer for a liquid crystal panel according toclaim 1, further comprising preforming a conducting layer on the surfaceof the substrate.
 17. The method for producing an alignment layer for aliquid crystal panel according to claim 16, wherein the substrate is aglass substrate.
 18. The method for producing an alignment layer for aliquid crystal panel according to claim 16, wherein the material of theconducting layer is indium tin oxide (ITO).
 19. The method for producingan alignment layer for a liquid crystal panel according to claim 1,wherein the substrate is a glass substrate.